tighten one’s belt用法解析（并不是穷得勒紧裤腰带）

“tighten one’s belt”是源于生活场景、语义直白且极具画面感的非正式短语。从字面看，“tighten”意为“收紧、勒紧”，“belt”指“腰带”，短语最初描述“因食物短缺、饥饿难耐时，通过勒紧腰带减少腹部空间以缓解饥饿感”的生理动作；随着语言演变，这一动作从“缓解饥饿的权宜之计”抽象为“经济层面的主动克制”，最终固定其核心语义为“因经济压力或节约开支而缩减非必要消费、勒紧裤腰带、节衣缩食，省吃俭用；勤俭过日”的含义。关键在于隐含“主动为之”的意味——区别于“be short of money”（被动缺钱），“tighten one’s belt”强调“主观上有意识地减少非必要支出，而非被动陷入贫困”，可用于短期应急（如“月底勒紧腰带”）或长期规划（如“为买房勒紧腰带”），无明显情感色彩，仅客观描述“节约开支”的行为，这是考试中辨析该短语的核心要点。例如：

She tightened her belt and skipped daily coffee with friends, just to save money for their weekend trip.

为了存钱去周末旅行，她勒紧裤腰带，不再和朋友喝每日咖啡。

Before their first trip together, she tightened her belt for two months—she wanted to buy him a limited-edition watch as a surprise gift.

在他们第一次一起旅行前，她勒紧裤腰带两个月——想给他买一块限量版手表作为惊喜礼物。

After having their first child, the couple tightened their belts and stopped buying luxury items, prioritizing the baby’s needs.

有了第一个孩子后，这对夫妇勒紧裤腰带，不再买奢侈品，把孩子的需求放在首位。

With the company’s profits falling, all employees have to tighten their belts and cut down on business travel.

由于公司利润下滑，所有员工都必须勒紧裤腰带，减少商务旅行开支。

We need to tighten our belts this month because we spent too much on the holiday.

这个月我们得勒紧裤腰带，因为假期花了太多钱。

Many families tightened their belts to afford their children’s college tuition fees.

许多家庭为了支付孩子的大学学费，不得不勒紧裤腰带。

Her father lost his job last week, so they need to tighten their belt now.

她父亲上周失业了，所以他们现在需要省吃俭用了。

He tightened his belt and stopped buying expensive gifts, saving up for the engagement ring she wanted.

他勒紧裤腰带，不再买昂贵的礼物，为她想要的订婚戒指存钱。

After buying their first house, the couple had to tighten their belts for a year to pay off the loan.

买了第一套房子后，这对夫妇不得不勒紧裤腰带一年，以偿还贷款。

The military had to tighten its belt and reduce equipment purchases due to the budget cut.

由于预算削减，军方不得不勒紧裤腰带，减少装备采购。

The country tightened its belt and cut diplomatic expenses to focus on domestic economic recovery.

为专注于国内经济复苏，该国勒紧裤腰带，削减外交开支。

The local government tightened its belt and canceled unnecessary construction projects to ease financial pressure.

为缓解财政压力，地方政府勒紧裤腰带，取消了不必要的建设项目。

They tightened their belts and cooked at home instead of eating out, just to save for their wedding.

为了给婚礼存钱，他们勒紧裤腰带，在家做饭而不是出去吃。

He realized she was the one, so he tightened his belt and moved out of his expensive apartment, saving up to rent a place closer to her.

他意识到她就是命中注定的人，于是勒紧裤腰带，搬出了昂贵的公寓，存钱租了一个离她更近的房子。

I have to tighten my belt this month—Penny’s birthday present cost me half my paycheck, and I still need to pay the rent.

这个月我得勒紧裤腰带了——佩妮的生日礼物花了我一半薪水，而且我还得付房租。《生活大爆炸》

We’ve been tightening our belts for months, Max. If this cupcake business doesn’t work, we’ll have to move out.

麦克斯，我们已经勒紧裤腰带好几个月了。如果这门纸杯蛋糕生意做不起来，我们就得搬出去了。《破产姐妹》

Due to the rise in living costs, the family decided to tighten their belts and reduce daily expenses.（2022年全国高考）

由于生活成本上涨，这家人决定勒紧裤腰带，减少日常开支。

After the company laid off some employees, the remaining staff tightened their belts and stopped ordering takeout.

公司裁员后，留下的员工勒紧裤腰带，不再点外卖。（2025研考）

核心考点分析：“tighten one’s belt”的考查重点集中在三点：一是固定搭配与语法规则，必须牢记核心动词为“tighten”；短语高频难点——需判断语境是否包含“主观主动节约”（如为存钱、应对压力），区别于“be forced into poverty”（被动贫困），考试中常以“被动缺钱”的选项作为干扰；主语必须是人或由人构成的集体（如family, government, military），不可是物。该短语在中高考、四六级、考研英语中多出现于完形填空、词汇辨析和阅读理解，是“固定搭配+语义隐含”的典型基础考点。